Death and taxes board game and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A board game with a continuous track separated into discreet steps uses a random number device to determine an advancement of players&#39; tokens. Designated game events reflect life occurrences and choices. A monetary currency is gained and lost. A second, non-monetary, currency is also gained and lost. That second currency is representative of a player&#39;s health status and is not freely exchangeable with any pecuniary currency. While a pecuniary currency is useful in securing the health representative currency, in scoring and in determining winners and losers only the health related currency is determinative.

FIELD

This invention relates to the field of board games, particularly those in which a chance device controls the amount of movement of a token along a track.

BACKGROUND

There are many board games involving tokens being moved along a track. Often the amount of movement is dependent upon a randomly derived value. Generally the players follow directions associated with the landed upon spaces. Often those directions involve drawing a card from one or more specialized card decks and following further directions associated with the drawn card.

Many of these games have an educational theme and many involve positional races between players. Frequently, board games involve life events particularly as they relate to money. Getting the most money to win, or losing when you are out of money, is the object a good many of these games. Other categories of games do not significantly involve a representation of a pecuniary currency at all, for example those simulating battle.

Attempts have been made to create games involving money and also including a second factor such as ranking in an organization or number of baseball games won. However, in the end the second factor is often converted into an equivalent in money to get a final scoring total. Some games include player acquisition of one or more non-pecuniary factors in addition to accumulating money. One example is a game teaching a balance between money, time, and happiness. However a game is needed that teaches the idea that money is useful but isn't everything or even the most important thing,

SUMMARY

Board games consistent with the principles of this invention allow players to encounter representations of numerous life events that affect the players' finances and as well affect a second quantity that is more important and represents a personal attribute not exchangeable with other players. The second quantity is tallied and tracked by use of a non-pecuniary currency. In a particular game these could be “health coins”. Versions might have other general or specific measures of physical or mental well being that are accounted for with a fungible representation, as in a currency.

Many of the life events represented in a game following the principles taught herein have monetary consequences. However some life events can also have consequences measured by a second currency, not directly exchangeable with money in game play or in scoring. While money is helpful in earning or retaining that second value, the degree of possession of that second value is determinative of the winner, not money. In one embodiment detailed below that second value is health. When a player is out of health, money can't help.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the game board;

FIG. 2A is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2D is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2E is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2F is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2G is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2H is an expanded detail view of a portion of the board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the businesses information cards;

FIG. 4A shows some example tokens;

FIG. 4B shows an example tracker;

FIG. 4C shows a pair of dice;

FIG. 4D shows several example flags;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, and 5F show decks of the various game cards;

FIG. 6A shows a health coin and FIG. 6B shows representations of money.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview of a Specific Implementation

The principles of the teaching herein are better understood with reference to the drawings and detailed description of particular embodiments. An example board game uses a rectangular playing surface with a closed track. Players' positions are represented by tokens that are moved clockwise based upon a throw of a pair of dice.

The object in this version is to maintain or increase your physical health. Your opponent's health may deteriorate, leading to their death and expulsion from the game. Each player's current amount of health is represented by health coins. There are several ways to increase your health such as going to the gym, buying health coins or receiving them at the direction of a game play event. Option and Risk cards, as well as Holiday and Vacation spaces are ways in which those events might be triggered. However there are also many analogous ways to loose health coins. Money is very important but you can live without money. When you are out of health coins you are dead and leave the game.

Equipment:

1) Playing board of FIG. 1 with a continuous track 55 of fifty-two discrete spaces;

2) Eight distinctive player's tokens, four examples are shown in FIG. 4A;

3) Eight trackers, one shown in FIG. 4B;

4) Eight differently colored sets of health coins, one shown in FIG. 6A;

5) Eight sets of 12 flag markers, each set of a different color, example flags shown in FIG. 4D;

6) Play money as seen in FIG. 6B;

7) Two die, seen in FIG. 4C;

8) Six card decks as represented, respectively, in FIGS. 5A-5F with example markings shown in Table 1:

-   -   Risk 50 cards, each dictating an increase or decrease in one or         both of money and health;     -   College Grades 30 cards, 18 passing and 12 not passing     -   Option 50 cards, each directing a player to make a choice;     -   Stock 50 cards with various prices;     -   Bills 50 cards, each directing a loss;     -   Lotto 24 cards, 2 sets of the numbers 1-12

9) Business Information cards: 12 cards as seen in FIG. 3, indicating various businesses represented by spaces on the board, each with a purchase price in dollars and a “landing fee” in a specified number of health coins.

Board

The board-playing surface mentioned above is seen in FIG. 1. Reference numbers 1-52 indicate the fifty-two distinct spaces. One space within a corner area is a unique Start 1 space. The spaces have indica informative of an intended game action associated with each space. These indica are seen in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, and 2H that show expanded, ordered portions of the board in a clockwise direction. The portion including the Start space is seen in FIG. 2A.

From the Start space, the next space along the track 55 in a clockwise direction is marked Gambling 2 followed by Hardware Store 3. There is another Gambling space 39 later in the course. Hardware Store is the first of twelve Business spaces, each with the name of a different business. The Hardware store space has as small hole 56 in the board used to plant a flag when that business is owned. Each of the other business spaces also has an analogous hole. Construction Company 12, Movie Theater 17 and Hotel 45 are some other businesses on the board. As mentioned, these business spaces each have a particular monetary purchase price associated with them and a landing fee or “rent” consisting of a designated number of health coins.

Next is one of nine “pay” spaces, Jewelry Store 4. Each of these Pay spaces has the name of a business, service or goods associated with them. The spaces are designated with an amount to be paid for that service or those goods.

Some spaces, for example, the next new type encountered, Risk 7, are associated with one of the six card decks. Other Risk spaces 18 32 51 are on the other sides of the board, clockwise respectively. A particular location 65 on the board is designated for the Risk Cards. Continuing clockwise the next three new space types are College 8, Stock 10, and Bills 11. There are three more College spaces on the board 26 42 48, two more Stock spaces 30 50 and two more Bills spaces 38 49. These spaces are associated with their respective card deck locations 66 68 70. The next new type is the unique Taxes 13, followed by another space, Option 14. This Option space and the other Option space 46 are associated with the Option cards and with card deck location 67. The last space on this first side of the board is Hospital 15.

Around the corner on the second side of the board the next new type of space encountered in a continued clockwise direction is a Sick Day space 20 of which there is only this one. Two more new space types are encountered on the second side, Go to Work 22 and Lotto 24. There is one other Lotto 47 and two other Go to Work spaces 37 52.

The third side of the track introduces two new spaces, Gym 33 and Vacation 40, each one-of-a-kind. Along the fourth and last side all of the spaces are of a type already encountered other than one unique space marked Holiday 44.

Card Decks

The six cards decks, portrayed in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, and 5F respectively, are Risk, College, Option, Stock, Bills, and Lotto. The contents indicated on their bottom sides are shown respectively in the Tables 2, 5, 3, 4, 1, and 6 below:

TABLE 1 BILL CARDS PAYMENT ON YOUR HEART PAY ONE AIRLINE PAY THREE HEALTH BUY A PET PAY ATTACK PAY $300 HEALTH COIN TICKET PAY COINS $130 $230 PAY ONE COLLEGE GRADE IF BUY &: TORE YOUR TAKE YOUR CAR TO BIG SCREEN TV YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE COLLECT ONE ACL PAY MECHANIC PAY $100 PAYMENT PAY PAY ONE HEALTH COIN HEALTH COIN $1,000 $160 FOR $100 PAY TWO COLLEGE GRADES AUTO INS. PAY PAY FOR PAY ONE HEALTH COIN & BUY A CELL IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TWO $160 NEW PAINT ONE COLLEGE GRADE PHONE PAY $160 COLLEGE GRADES PAY ONE JOB ON IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEALTH COIN & $100 YOUR CAR COLLEGE GRADE PAY $50 PAY $550 HOUSE PAYMENT PAY $350 CREDIT CARD PAY TWO PAY $80 & COLLECT ONE BUY A BIRTHDAY BILL PAY $220 HEALTH COLLEGE GRADE PRESENT PAY COINS $100 LIFE INSURANCE POLICY BUY THE WISDOM BUY A FLASHLIGHT PAY TAGS DUE ON PAY $150 BOARD GAME TEETH $50 YOUR CAR PAY DEATH &: REMOVED $185 TAXES PAY $25 PAY $120 PAYMENT ON YOUR BUY A CHAIR TAXES DUE BUY SOME GAS FOR BUY A PACK OF MOTORCYCLE PAY $150 PAY $100 PAY $100 YOUR CAR PAY $50 FOOTBALL CARDS PAY $5 WATER BILL PAT $160 NEW CAR AUTO CAR PAYMENT PAY $100 RENT A CAR PAY TIRES PAY INSURANCE $175 $175 PAY $160 HEART ATTACK PAY THREE MOVIE ADVANCE TO ELECTRIC PAYMENT PAY PAY ONE HEALTH HEALTH COINS OR $1,400 RENTALS PAY NEAREST $80 COIN $10 LOTTO SPACE CELL PHONE BILL PAY $30 GO TO EAT DENTIST PAY FOR A NEW WINDOW BUY A GAME PAY PAY $50 BILL $180 FOR THE HOUSE PAY $185 $75 BACK DUE ELECTRIC BILLS PAYMENT ON BUY A BUY A TOY FOR YOUR BUY A PAY $250 YOUR STEREO PAY LITTLE BROTHER PAY $50 REFRIGERATOR VACATION $190 $120 PAY $140

TABLE 2 RISK CARDS ADVANCE TO HEART ATTACK TAKE ONE HEALTH PAY ONE HEALTH STORM DAMAGE NEAREST LOTTO PAY THREE COIN FROM THE COIN TO YOUR HOUSE SPACE HEALTH COINS PERSON OF YOUR PAY $200 OR $1,400 CHOICE BUY & COLLECT INCOME TAX YOUR DOG BIT A HOME PAY TWO HEALTH ONE COLLEGE RETURN NEIGHBOR AND IMPROVEMENTS COINS GRADE FOR $100 COLLECT $80 YOU'RE BEING SUED PAY $100 PAY $150 COLLECT ONE JOB INJURY BUY STOCK FOR $160 - ADVANCE TO CAR REPAIRS PAY COLLEGE GRADE ADVANCE TO NOT OPTIONAL - NEAREST $30 HOSPITAL FOLLOW STOCK GAMBLING SPACE RULES COLLECT ONE SOLD YOUR BIG MASSIVE HEART GIVE TWO HEALTH HEART ATTACK HEALTH COIN SCREEN TV ATTACK PAY FIVE COINS TO THE PAY FOUR COLLECT $800 HEALTH COINS OR PLAYER OF YOUR HEALTH COINS PAY $1,500 CHOICE OR $800 DON'T PAY ONE ADVANCE TO GIVE ONE COLLECGE PAY ONE COLLEGE ADVANCE TO THE BILL CHOOSE MOVIE THEATER GRADE TO THE GRADE IF YOU DO NEAREST STOCK WHICH BILL NOT IF NOT OWNED PLAYER OF YOUR NOT HAVE A SPACE TO PAY KEEP PAY HALF PRICE CHOICE IF YOU DO COLLEGE GRADE TILL USED (MONEY ONLY) NOT HAVE A GRADE PAY $80 TO BUY IT PAY $150 OPTIONAL ADVANCE TO ADVANCE TO PAY $15 AND COLLECT BROKE YOUR LEG COLLECT ONE THE PLACE CF NEAREST GO TO ONE HEALTH COIN PAY $200 HEALTH COIN YOUR CHOICE WORK COLLECT TWO SCHOOL TAX SOLD YOUR OLD CAR ADVANCE TO ADVANCE TO GYM HEALTH COINS PAY $45 COLLECT $175 THEME PARK DRAW AN SPEEDING ADVANCE TO HOUSE PAY ONE HEALTH CAR WRECK PAY OPTION CARD TICKET PAY $140 PAYMENT SPACE COIN $300 PAY $300 FOR COLLECT $150 ADVANCE TO YOUR BONDS COLLECT TWO TAXES NEAREST COLLEGE MATURED HEALTH COINS COLLECT $100 COLLECT $ 50 BROKE YOUR ADVANCE TO INVESTMENT PAYS ADVANCE TO COLLECT TWO LEG PAY $200 START OFF COLLECT $200 NEAREST BILLS BILLS SPACE

TABLE 3 OPTION CARDS ADVANCE TO DRAW ONE MOVE TWO GIVE ONE OF SELL ONE HEALTH THE PLACE BILL OR SPACES BACK YOUR HEALTH COIN TO THE PERSON OF YOUR ADVANCE TO OR THREE COINS TO THE OF YOUR CHOICE FOR CHOICE THE HOSPITAL SPACES PERSON OF YOUR $20 FORWARD CHOICE ADVANCE TO DRAW ONE ADVANCE TO COLLECT ONE COLLECT ONE THE PLACE BILL OR PAY NEAREST HEALTH COIN OR COLLEGE GRADE OR OF YOUR $100 COLLEGE OR $150 $200 CHOICE GO TO WORK COLLECT PAY $100 & PAY ONE PAY $120 OR PAY TWO HEALTH ONE BILL COLLECT ONE HEALTH COIN ADVANCE TO THE COINS OR COLLECT OR ADVANCE HEALTH COIN OR ONE NEAREST RISK TWO BILLS TO OR ONE COLLEGE SICK DAY COLLEGE GRADE GRADE COLLECT PAY FINE OF BUY ONE COLLECT ONE PAY $75 OR DRAW ONE BILL $100 OR LOSE HEALTH COIN HEALTH COIN OR A RISK CARD OR ADVANCE A TURN FOR $20 OR $250 TO ONE COLLEGE SICK DAY GRADE FOR $40 GO TO THE MOVE THREE MOVE FOUR OPTION TO BUY TAKE ONE HEALTH NEAREST SPACES SPACES STOCK FOR $80 COIN FOR $10 FROM COLLEGE BACKWARDS FORWARD OR THE PERSON OF OR GYM OR LOSE A BACKWARDS YOUR CHOICE TURN BUY A LOTTO ADVANCE TO PAY $300 OR PAY $300 FOR ADVANCE TO CARD FOR HOUSE COLLECT TWO SPEEDING TICKET NEAREST COLLEGE $40 PAYMENT OR BILLS OR LOOSE A TURN WITH OPTION OF OR ADVANCE COLLECT TWO & PAY ONE HEALTH BUYING ONE COLLEGE TO RISK BILLS COIN GRADE COLLECT PAY FINE OF BUY STOCK IN DRAW A RISK COLLECT ONE BILL $350 OR $100 OR LOSE ELECTRIC CO. PAY CARD OR MOVE OR ADVANCE TO ADVANCE TO A TURN $110 THREE PLACES DENTIST NEAREST BACKWARDS GO TO WORK SKIP HOUSE COLECT ONE OPTIONAL - PAY TWO ADVANCE TO PAYMENT OR COLLEGE OPTION TO PICK COLLEGE NEAREST LOTTO OR CAR GRADE OR A UP RISKCARD OR GRADES OR GAMBLING PAYMENT HEALTH COIN NOT - KEEP UNTIL PAY $250 KEEP THIS YOU LAND ON CARD TILL RISK, RETURN YOU LAND ON AFTER USE ONE OF THEM PAY $10 FOR DRAW ONE RECEIVE $100 OFF BUY ONE PAY ONE HEALTH ONE BILL OR LOSE THE PURCHASE OF COLLEGE COIN OR ONE COLLEGE A TURN A BUISNESS GRADE FOR $60 COLLEGE GRADE GRADE OR KEEP UNTIL USED OR ADVANCE COLLECT TO GYM ONE HEALTH COIN COLLECT $50 MOVE FOUR BUY UP TO TWO GIVE ONE PAY $30 FOR OR DRAW SPACES HEALTH COINS COLLEGE DISABILITY RISK CARD FORWARD OR FOR $40 EACH GRADE TO THE KEEP THIS CARD TWO SPACES PERSON OF UNTIL YOU LAND ON BACKWARDS YOUR CHOICE START FOR OR PAY $150 DISABILITY, COLLECT 20 TIMES THE AMOUNT ROLLED

TABLE 4 STOCK CARDS BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN HARDWARE HARDWARE STORE INTERNET CONSTRUCTION HOTELS STORE PAY $120 PAY $90 PAY $200 PAY $100 PAY $150 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN THE BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN LOCAL CASINO ELECTRIC CO. HARDWARE FOOD IND. WATER CO. PAY $150 PAY $80 STORE PAY $250 PAY $90 PAY $100 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN COMPUTER CO LOCAL COMPUTER REAL ESTATE HOTELS CONSTRUCTION PAY $110 STORE PAY $100 PAY $270 PAY $180 PAY $100 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN CONSTRUCTION WATER CO. HARDWARE HOTELS INTERNET PAY $150 PAY $200 STORE PAY $175 PAY $170 PAY $400 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN INTER NET WATER CO. COMPUTERS LOCAL CASINO LOCAL CASINO PAY $250 PAY $90 PAY $170 PAY $350 PAY $110 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN HOTELS WATER CO. ELECTRIC CO. REAL ESTATE FOOD IND. PAY $90 PAY $160 PAY $190 PAY $150 PAY $150 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN AIRLINES CONSTRUCTION FOOD IND. ELECTRIC CO. ELECTRIC CO. PAY $100 PAY $200 PAY $130 PAY $150 PAY $200 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN FOOD IND FOOD IND. REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION WATER CO. PAY $150 PAY $100 PAY $130 PAY $375 PAY $140 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN REAL ESTATE AIRLINES LOCAL CASINO COMPUTERS LOCAL CASINO PAY $70 PAY $400 PAY $300 PAY $150 PAY $75 BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN BUY STOCK IN HARDWARE INTERNET CO ELECTRIC HOTELS PAY REAL ESATE PAY STORE PAY $300 PAY $150 COMPNAY PAY $200 $500 $110

TABLE 5 COLLEGE GRADE CARDS (36) 6 each A 6 each B 6 each C 6 each D 6 each F

TABLE 6 LOTTO CARDS (24) 2 each 1-12

Each Business space on the board of FIG. 1 has an associated “Business Information” card. These cards are shown in FIG. 3 face up. They each include the business name and the nominal price to buy that business. As well as the landing fee paid in Health coins.

Tokens, Trackers, Flags, and Dice

Tokens are unique with one for each player. They are of a size that can be readily used to indicate any particular space out of the fifty-two by their physical positioning. Trackers are used to indicate that a particular player has “gone to work” at some point in their current circumnavigation of the board. Flags are placed in the holes 56 in Business spaces to indicate that a particular player owns that business. Example Tokens, Trackers, Dice and Flags are portrayed in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D respectively.

Method of Play Overview of Game

In turn, the players throw the dice to determine a number of clockwise steps to move a token around the game board's track. Various spaces have directions to be followed including drawing cards from the various decks.

There are two types of “currency”. One is representative of money and, in this particular version, the other of a player's health. While both are important in the game you can keep playing without money, but not without health.

The currency of health is not freely interchangeable with money. For example, you can sell health coins for money at the fixed rate of $100 per health coin to the bank at any turn However a player can only buy or otherwise acquire health coins at limited times dictated by the game play.

As a player's token moves around the board's continuous track, it might land on a space marked “College”. Upon landing on a College space, a player has the option to pay tuition and buy one or two grades at $50 each and hope to get a passing grade or the player can decide to not go to college. A player that lands on a Business not owned by any other player may buy that business. However a player must already have sufficient college grades before they can purchase a business. Having a business will help a player receive both money and health coins. However, the path of college and then business ownership is not the only strategy that might win the game.

There are several ways the amount of health coins can increase or decrease. For example landing on the Gym space allows one to increase their health. Also there are many Risk cards, Option cards and even Bills that might result in gaining or losing health coins.

Money can also be accumulated and lost in several ways. For example, if you land on a “Go to Work” space you get paid money. If a particular trip around the board does not land on a Go to Work space, you can collect disability when you pass the Start spot. Disability generally pays less than working. Investing and gambling are also ways to make money. When you land on Lotto spots and Stock spots you have the option of putting money down. It will grow or shrink based on a future random event.

Detailed Instructions for a Specific Game Set Up

Each player starts with six health coins and $2,000 in game money. Players chose a token and also chose a color of health coin and flag markers to indicate business ownership. The decks of cards are placed on their designated locations.

Start

Each player places their token on the Start 1 spot of the game board. The order of play is determined by the role of the dice. At each player's turn they roll the dice and move their token the number of spaces indicated by the sum of the two die. Any directions indicated on a space landed upon are carried out before the next player has their turn.

If a player has not landed on a Go to Work space between the Start and the next time they land on or pass start, that player receives a disability payment. It is $100 plus an amount determined by a roll of the two die that is ten times the value shown by the dice. In addition, disability payment includes $50 for each business owned by the player. Trackers are used to keep track of who did and did not go to work on a particular round. If a player lands on, or passes Start 1 and does not have a Tracker, they collect disability. If they do have a tracker it is returned and disability is not collected.

When a player lands on a Go to Work 22 37 52 they roll both die and receive an amount equal to ten times the value shown on the dice plus $50 for each business owned. In addition they get a fixed amount designated by the particular Go to Work space. Players pick up a Tracker to indicate that they worked at least once on that tour of the board.

Directions for Specific Step Types:

The value in parenthesis following the card type in the list below indicates the number of spaces on the game board of that card type.

Bills: (3) The player draws one or more Bill cards, as shown in FIG. 5E & Table 1, at the direction of the particular step landed upon. Bills usually result in losing money. Some Bills take away health and some both take and give. “Buy a pet for $85 but gain one health coin” for example.

Business: (12) These each represent a particular business, with a particular price designated. A bowling alley and steel factory are two examples.

-   -   If an un-owned business—The player landing on it has the option         to buy that business but only if they hold two passing ( C or         better) college grades. Buying a business “uses up” those         grades, which are then returned to the College deck.     -   Player gets a flag to insert into the hole on the space         representing that business on the game board. The Business         Information card for that business indicates the financial         attributes of that business.     -   Already owned business—The player landing on it pays to the         owner the fee, in Health coins, shown on that business's         information card.

College: (4) A player landing on a college space can take none, one or two classes. Each class costs $50. After buying the desired number of classes the player draws one card for each class from the College deck, shown in FIG. 5B & Table 5, to get their grades. An A, B or C card is passing and is retained. D & F are failing and are placed back at the bottom of the deck. The reason for getting these grades is to qualify to buy a business. If all businesses are already owned when a player lands on a college space that player pays the bank $100 for college loans—even if they have never had a class.

Lotto: (2) The player can choose to buy none, one, or two Lotto cards for $10, each, which are taken from the Lotto deck, FIG. 5F & Table 6, and retained by the player. Each Lotto card has a number between 1 and 12. Money paid for Lotto cards does not go to the bank but into to a lotto pot. The pot grows until any player lands on a Gambling space 2 39.

Gambling: (2) The player landing on these spaces rolls the dice. All Lotto cards matching the rolled value are winning cards. Holders of winning cards split the amount that is in the pot. Each winning Lotto card entitles its holder to an amount of the pot equal to one over the total number of winning cards. Additionally each winning card entitles its holder to get $1,000 from the bank. In any case all Lotto cards go back to the Lotto deck before the next turn.

Gym: (1) A player landing on the Gym space can optionally payone or two month's gym membership of $50 and get a health coin as shown in FIG. 6A for each $50 spent. It is not required to pay any gym membership.

Option: (2) A player takes an Option card, shown in FIG. 5C & Table 3. The player follows its instructions. They are called Option cards because their instructions provide a choice for the player. One card indicates: “Draw a Risk card OR move 3 places backwards”. Another directs: “Collect one Bill OR advance to the hospital”.

Risk: (4) Draw a Risk card, shown in FIG. 5A & Table 2, and follow the instructions. Risk cards may either have a positive or a negative effect. The risk can be either to your money or your health.

Stock: (3) Player draws a Stock card, FIG. 5D & Table 4, and must decide whether or not to invest at the price listed on the card. If you buy the share of stock, then roll the dice. A value of 1-6 causes a complete loss on the investment. On a value of 7-12 you get double your money back. In any case put the card back in the pile.

Taxes: (1) For each business owned pay $100 to the bank and one health coin. Running a business is taxing to your health.

General Rules

When cards are to be taken, it is always from the top of the deck. They are replaced on the bottom. It is disallowed to engage in any transaction with another player other than as directed or allowed by directions on a space or card. When a player is out of money that player's game state does not change. However if that player draws a card or lands on a space requiring money, they must raise the money somehow. It could be that the only way to raise the required money might be to sell all of their health and thus be eliminated.

Scoring

In this example game winning occurs by being the “last man standing” after all of the other players have reached the cutoff value of zero health coins and have been eliminated.

Alternative Embodiments

One skilled in the art will recognize that many games may fall within the teaching herein. Variations might be in the number of each type of spaces or their relative locations on the track. Details of the indica and rules could be different in alternate versions of the example game presented or in other games consistent with the principles of this invention. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the materials and techniques to make board games are well known. It is also well known to implement board games using electronic displays, computer technology and other materials other than those of a traditional board game.

Rather than money and health, an alternate embodiment might use a precious metal for the pecuniary quantity and a different measure of physical or mental well-being for the more important, personal attribute quantity. Values such as blood count, number of diseases a player has, or body temperature, and number of therapy visits per week are some possibilities. For some measures of physical or mental well-being the cutoff value to leave the game may be non-zero, such as blood count. Alternatively, for some measures such as body temperature or number of therapy visits a week, a larger value may denote a sicker person. In those games the cutoff would be a value not to be exceeded rather than a value not to be below.

Various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated are expected. In the following claims, the words “a” and “an” should be taken to mean “at least one” in all cases, even if the wording “at least one” appears in one or more claims explicitly. This description is intended to teach the invention, not to limit it. The scope of the invention is set out in the claims below. 

1. A method of playing a board game teaching that money isn't everything, comprising the actions of: a) providing game apparatus comprising: a playing surface having a path divided into discrete steps with various designated game events associated with steps of the path, a plurality of representations of a pecuniary currency, a plurality of representations of a second, non-pecuniary currency, representative of a personal attribute; b) placing tokens representative of each player on an initial step; c) advancing tokens along the path in accordance with results from chance device and designated events associated with particular spaces; d) gaining or losing of amounts of a player's pecuniary currency determined by designated events representative of life choices and life occurrences; e) gaining or losing of amounts of a player's non-pecuniary currency determined by designated events representative of life choices and life occurrences; f) designating a neutral repository of said currencies as a bank, g) making inter-currency exchanges according to the following rules: allowing exchanges with the bank, at player's option, of non-pecuniary currency for pecuniary currency; prohibiting a player exchanging with the bank of pecuniary currency for non-pecuniary currency unless permitted be a designated event; h) eliminating a player from winning the game if that player's non-pecuniary currency reaches a predetermined cutoff value, independent of amounts of pecuniary currency.
 2. The method of playing the game of claim 1 wherein said non-pecuniary currency is representative of an aspect of a player's personal well-being.
 3. The method of playing the game of claim 1 wherein said non-pecuniary currency is representative of a player's physical health.
 4. The method of playing the game of claim 2 wherein said non-pecuniary currency is representative of a specific biological measure of player's health state.
 5. The method of playing the game of claim 3 wherein a players' health representing currency being reduced below a predetermined value engenders loosing.
 6. A kit of items for playing a board game comprising: a) a playing surface having a continuous track marked into at least 30 discrete segments along its length; at least six and no more than one half of said segments defining a mounting feature so shaped and configured as to be suitable to hold an elongated indicator substantially perpendicular to the major plane of said surface; b) a plurality of elongated indicators suitable to be held in place by the mounting features; c) at least two tokens representative of players; d) a plurality of bills or optionally, coins, representative of a monetary currency; e) a plurality of coins, or optionally bills, representative of a quantitative degree of a players health; f) a plurality of cards representative of events tending to affect health.
 7. The kit of items for playing a game of claim 6 further comprising cards reprehensive of school grades.
 8. The kit of items for playing a game of claim 6 further comprising cards representative of gambling.
 9. A method of playing a board game involving multiple players following indica of game directions on a board marked into discrete spaces and following indica of game directions on cards, placing and progressing game tokens along a track on the board according to randomly derived values, said game play including encountering simulations of life events involving the players' gain and loss of a pecuniary currency, wherein the improvement comprises: said simulations of life events further comprising: a) said players gain and loss of a second currency representative of an aspect of a players' simulated physical, or optionally, mental, well-being; said second currency not being freely exchanged with said pecuniary currency; b) simulated life events for which said pecuniary currency is instrumental in gains of said second currency; and said second currency being determinative of winning and losing.
 10. The method of playing the game of claim 9 further limited in that said second currency is representative of a player's health. 